Magnetic Field of a Loop Calculator

Estimate center or axial field for multiturn loops. Use unit controls and instant scientific outputs. Download reports, inspect graphs, and compare sample field values.

Calculator Inputs

Example Data Table

Example conditions: current = 4 A, turns = 18, radius = 0.10 m, relative permeability = 1. The table shows axial field values at several distances.

Axial Distance (cm) Axial Distance (m) Magnetic Field (T) Magnetic Field (µT)
0 0 0.000452389 452.389342
2 0.02 0.000426543 426.542545
4 0.04 0.000362097 362.097379
6 0.06 0.000285236 285.23578
8 0.08 0.0002154 215.400443
10 0.1 0.000159944 159.943786

Formula Used

Magnetic field at the center of a circular loop
B(0) = (μ0 × μr × N × I) / (2R)
Magnetic field on the axis of the loop
B(x) = (μ0 × μr × N × I × R²) / [2(R² + x²)^(3/2)]
Loop area and magnetic dipole moment
A = πR²
m = N × I × A
Field gradient on the axis
dB/dx = -3μ0μrNIR²x / [2(R² + x²)^(5/2)]

This calculator assumes a circular loop, steady current, and measurement along the central axis. The relative permeability factor models a simple magnetic material effect.

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter the current value and select its unit.
  2. Enter the loop radius and choose the radius unit.
  3. Set the number of turns in the coil.
  4. Enter the relative permeability. Use 1 for air-core loops.
  5. Enter the axial distance where you want the field value.
  6. Choose the graph start, graph end, and number of graph points.
  7. Click the calculate button to display results above the form.
  8. Review the graph, summary table, and export the report as CSV or PDF.

Answers to the Requested Questions

Imagine instead that both the bottom and one side of the loop were placed in the magnetic field.

Then more than one segment would feel a magnetic force. You would add the vector forces on each segment. Depending on current direction and field direction, the loop could experience a larger net force, a torque, or both.

A circular loop is suspended in a uniform magnetic field as shown in the figure.

A current loop in a uniform field experiences a torque that tries to align its magnetic moment with the field. The torque magnitude is τ = N I A B sinθ. The net translational force is zero in a perfectly uniform field.

Why does a piece of iron in a current-carrying loop increase the magnetic field strength?

Iron has high magnetic permeability. It becomes magnetized and channels magnetic flux more effectively than air. That raises the magnetic field inside and near the loop compared with an air-core loop carrying the same current.

If you change the magnetic field inside a closed loop of wire, you induce in the loop _______.

You induce an electromotive force. If the loop is closed, that emf can drive an induced current. This is Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction.

What is the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field at point p, at the center of the loop?

The magnitude at the center is B = μ0 N I / (2R) for an air-core loop. The direction is perpendicular to the loop’s plane and is found with the right-hand rule. Curl your fingers with current; your thumb gives the field direction.

A loop of gas following the magnetic field lines between sunspots' poles is _______.

It is called a coronal loop. These bright arches of hot plasma trace solar magnetic field lines between opposite magnetic regions.

What is the strength of the magnetic field at the center of the loop in the figure?

Use the center-field relation B = μ0 N I / (2R), or include μr for a magnetic core. The exact numerical value depends on the figure’s current, radius, turns, and material.

FAQs

1. What formula gives the magnetic field at the center of a loop?

For a circular loop, the center field is B = μ0 μr N I / (2R). More current, more turns, or higher permeability increases the field. A larger radius reduces it.

2. How is the field different away from the center?

Along the axis, the field falls with distance according to B(x) = μ0 μr N I R² / [2(R² + x²)^(3/2)]. It is strongest at the center and weakens smoothly as you move away.

3. Why does increasing the number of turns raise the field?

Each turn contributes magnetic field in the same direction along the axis. When turns are closely packed, their fields add, so the total field is roughly proportional to the number of turns.

4. What happens if I increase the loop radius?

A larger radius spreads the same current path over a wider circle. That lowers the center field because the field strength is inversely proportional to radius for the center formula.

5. What does relative permeability do in this calculator?

Relative permeability scales the field to approximate a magnetic material effect. Use 1 for air. Values above 1 model materials that strengthen magnetic flux around the loop.

6. Why is the graph usually symmetric around the center?

The axial field depends on , so positions at +x and -x give the same magnitude. That makes the ideal axial field graph symmetric about the loop center.

7. Which units should I use for best accuracy?

Any supported unit works because the calculator converts inputs internally. Using meters and amperes often makes the formulas easier to verify by hand and compare with textbook values.

8. Does this calculator work for off-axis points?

No. This version is designed for the loop center and points on the central axis only. Off-axis field calculations require more advanced expressions involving elliptic integrals.

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Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.